George Raff

George Raff (15 April 1815—28 August 1889) was a merchant, sugar grower and politician born in Forres, Morayshire, Scotland who spent a substantial part of his life in Australia.

Born to James Raff, a farmer and peasant, and Margaret Raff, née Cumming, little is known about Raff's early years. He left for Sydney aboard the Earl Durham, and arrived on 2 January 1839. Soon after arriving, he found employment with Lamb, Parbury & Co., founded by John de Villiers Lamb and his brother. He remained there, with that employment, for several years, before, in 1842–1843, he held Tarwin station, Gippsland. Around that time, on 14 April 1843, Raff married Harriet Sealy, daughter of Robert Bourne, a retired missionary whom he knew and was associated with in Gippsland. in the first proper parliament, also in 1860 he became a part of the Board of National Education and of the Exhibition Commission. Following the resignation of Arthur Macalister as premier in July 1866, the government that he was a part of was under threat of becoming utterly dysfunctional. To keep the government alive, Sir George Bowen offered to create a temporary committee with Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert and Raff, a move which was met with strong opposition. Raff continued to work in politics and parliament until 22 June 1867, Approximately four years later he married again, to Jane Molle, née Lord. Molle was a widow and she had children of her own. This led to Raff's effective estrangement from his sons.

Raff died on 28 August 1889 and was buried in Toowong Cemetery. He was survived by his seven sons and left an estate valued for probate at £5038.